Why DeCastro was a great pick for the Steelers
When I woke up this morning, I ran to my computer to confirm that the Steelers had actually taken David DeCastro with the 24th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. I just couldn’t be sure that I hadn’t dreamed it. After all, nobody thought that a player of DeCastro’s talent could possibly fall all the way to the Steelers at #24.
So when I logged onto my computer and read the headlines, I was relieved to find that it wasn’t a dream. The Steelers had actually taken DeCastro.
Unfortunately, I also saw lots of comments from Steelers fans criticizing the pick. Some of the complaints that I heard were, “They should have taken a cornerback”, or “Hightower would have been a better pick”, or “Zeitler is a better fit”, or “We needed a nose tackle more than we needed a guard”.
I usually try not to argue with fans, but in this case, I feel that I have to. David DeCastro was the best selection that the Steelers could have made. Nobody else was even close.
“They should have taken a cornerback”
For those of you who think that the Steelers should have taken a cornerback, I challenge you to name a cornerback who was available who is a better player than DeCastro. Many believe that DeCastro is the best guard to come out of college since Steve Hutchinson. Morris Claiborne was the only cornerback who was thought to be a definite 1st round talent, and he was long gone. Stephon Gilmore and Dre Kirkpatrick were also off the board. So were the Steelers supposed to reach and take a 2nd or 3rd round talent in the 1st round simply to get a cornerback? I don’t think so. The Steelers will probably take a CB in this draft. But they won’t reach for him.
“Hightower would have been a better pick”
When the Steelers pick came up, they had their choice between David DeCastro and Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower. And they chose DeCastro. So that says a lot about how the team graded the two players. Hightower was selected by the New England Patriots on the very next pick. Hightower is a very good player. But DeCastro is a better player who fills a more important need.
“Zeitler is a better fit”
What????!!!! This comment is so stupid that I’m tempted to ignore it completely. DeCastro is a better run blocker. DeCastro is a better pass blocker. DeCastro is better at running pulls and traps. He’s better in every way. NOBODY had Zeitler rated higher than DeCastro. Picking Zeitler ahead of DeCastro would have been like selecting Batman ahead of Superman if you were starting a super hero team. Only an idiot would take Batman before Superman. But it would take an even bigger idiot to take Zeitler before DeCastro.
“We needed a nose tackle more than we needed a guard”.
We definitely need a nose tackle. There’s no doubt about it. In fact, nose tackle is the only position that even comes close to guard in terms of the team’s needs. But there were no 1st round talents at nose tackle in this year’s draft. Dontari Poe is a workout wonder who didn’t show 1st round talent in actual football games. And all of the other nose tackles in this year’s draft are 2nd or 3rd round talents at best. So should the Steelers have reached for a player in the 1st round that they could probably get in the 2nd round?
I won’t be surprised if the Steelers take a player like Alemeda Ta’amu in the 2nd round. After all, they do need a nose tackle. But if a better player is available who plays a different position, then I expect the Steelers to pick the better player.
The Steelers have always followed a philosophy of taking the best player available, regardless of what position he plays. That philosophy has served them well over the years. And they have six Lombardi Trophies to prove it.
I think nose tackle is a position the Steelers can afford to wait on..so taking Poe would have been a waste. The reason being the way the running game is not as prevalant as it used to be and collapsing the middle of the line isn’t needed as much as passing continues to progress in the NFL. McClendon and Ziggy can fill this roll in the new NFL after Big Snack is finished.
1I admit that I did not expect DeCastro to be there at 24. This was a strange draft! Bruce Irvin & AJ Jenkins in round 1–wow! I did say in an earlier posting that if DeCastro was available, the Steelers couldn’t turn their card in fast enough to grab him! A GREAT pick for the Steelers! We should also celebrate the fact that the Ravens did NOT get Hightower! (Although the Pats are about the 2nd worse choice!)
2With the way the draft fell, tonight will be interesting. We will have good players on the board when we pick. I am still in favor of ’1000 LBS in the first 3 rounds!’
PS – While I thought the Rams out-smarted themselves, they have Brockers + 3 picks in the top 13 of round 2 with a lot of good players on the board while Cleveland gave up 3 picks to move up one spot–and already Jim Brown is down on Richardson! Can’t wait for tonight!
I wish TRILLED to see DeCastro fall to the Steelers. I was watching with a “NE jumped ahead of Pittsburgh to get DeCastro…. Detroit will take Decastro…. WHAT?!? HE’S STILL AVAILABLE?!?!”
I’m guess Colbert thought the same thing, which is why the Steelers waited a total of 10 seconds before sending in the pick.
Also, as fans, we all have to admit: Colbert drafts a shitload better than we do. Let’s not question his picks until we see them on the field. I questioned the Pouncey pick (A CENTER?!?! THAT EARLY?!?!?), and after about 2 games, there was egg on my face. Colbert knows. I trust him, entirely.
3Tom,
I agree with you. The Steelers still have plenty of opportunity to get a NT. Almost all of them are still on the board.
Also, I agree with you that the NFL is becoming more like college football. Teams are throwing the ball a lot more, and using more two tight end sets, multiple wide receiver sets, etc. As stopping the pass becomes more important, stopping the run will have to become less important.
4John#21,
5I was so happy to see that the Ravens didn’t get Hightower. But then when I realized that the Patriots got him instead, I became depressed.
Josh,
I don’t even think it took 10 seconds for the Steelers to submit their pick. I think it was more like 3 seconds.
And you’re right, Colbert does a great job (at least in the early rounds). Fans have got to learn to trust him.
I still can’t believe how many fans I’ve heard complain because the Steelers didn’t take a cornerback. What are they smoking? What cornerback was available at #24 who was worth a 1st round pick? I just don’t understand where some people are coming from with their comments.
6Great pick @ 24. Fills a big need. Besides Hightower, who else would of filled any need the steelers have?
7Like you I’m all a titter!
Just goes to show good things happen to good people and good teams!
It will be interesting to listen to David and hear how he feels about his new team.
I’m betting pretty darn good.
Who doesn’t like playing for a winner and with proven quality coaches and fans.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see OL one more time before going after NT.
Like you say, the best player gets best consideration.
Also DE and Safety before TE, WR or CB.
C’mon youse guys, the coaches did a super job last year on CB.
Both quality players with really good potential to be great.
OK then..
8HP,
DeCastro said that he didn’t like the Steelers growing up because he’s from Seattle, and he still thinks they cheated the Seahawks out of a Super Bowl. However, now that he’s a Steeler, he says that they’re his new favorite team.
I think he’s going to be amazed the first time he gets exposed to Steeler Nation. The Seahawks don’t have the type of avid fans that the Steelers do. I think DeCastro is going to love it. Most players get won over by the love that they feel from Steeler Nation (and the way we take over other teams’ stadiums).
BTW, do you realize that Cordy Glenn, Mike Adams, Amini Silatolu, Kelechi Osemele, Mitchell Schwartz, Zebrie Sanders, Joe Looney, Brandon Brooks, Brandon Washington, Senio Kelemete, and James Brown are all still available? The Steelers should be able to get at least one more good offensive lineman if things go right tonight. If they got Amini Silatolu in the 2nd and Josh Chapman in the 3rd, I would be the happiest man on the planet.
Or perhaps Alemeda Ta’amu in the 2nd, and Brandon Brooks in the 3rd?
The possibilities are endless!
9Yessir, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!
I’m not even going to dare think the names Silatolu, Brooks, Chapman, Ta’amu, Still.
I didn’t think the name DeCastro and look what happened!
Yes, I don’t think it’s possible to over emphasize the impact a unique place like Pittsburgh has on its players, fans and visitors.
I have much faith in the Pittsburgh scouts and coaches.
Nuff said.
10I’m not sure that we have drafted a guy with this much promise since Ben.
There has been talk about DeCastro being able to play left or right guard. Which is more valuable? Seems like playing left guard allows him to pull block when running plays to the strong side like Faneca did would be the best use of DeCastro’s skills.
11I’m not sure that we have drafted a guy with this much promise since Ben.
There has been talk about DeCastro being able to play left or right guard. Which is more valuable? Seems like playing left guard allows him to pull block when running plays to the strong side like Faneca did would be the best use of DeCastro’s skills.
12I read that the Steelers were planning on getting Hightower, but DeCastro was basically gift-wrapped for them. They couldn’t turn that pick in quick enough. I love the pick.
13Wow! Mike Adams!
If the coaches believe in him behavior wise, then that has to be good enough for me. We’ll see. I think being around Pouncey and company will really give him the best opportunity to get after it and also mature into a fine man as well as a top notch player.
Another sky is the limit OL man!
Ben must be in hog heaven!
What an outstanding job Pittsburgh has done so far!
This is really exciting and I think the excitement will be contagious for the entire team.
Spence is great in round 3. Cover LB with speed and more speed, great athleticism and natural feel for game. Smart move. Another diamond in the rough scouting coup?
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